New President Says RISD Can Play A Key Role In Economic Development

After an international search, the Rhode Island School of Design has settled on one of its own to take over as president. RISD has tapped Rosanne...

by Elisabeth Harrison

After an international search, the Rhode Island School of Design has settled on one of its own to take over as president. RISD has tapped Rosanne Somerson, a RISD graduate who’s been serving as interim president since December 2013.

Former president John Maeda stepped down suddenly, after a rocky relationship with RISD faculty. Maeda surprised many at RISD when he announced he had taken a job at Silicon Valley venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers.

Following the official announcement that Somerson would become RISD's 17th president, Rhode Island Public Radio’s Elisabeth Harrison spoke with Somerson about her vision for one of the country’s best known art schools.